Assistant Director, Tilda Goldberg Centre for Social Work and Social Care
Principal Research Fellow, Institute of Applied Social Research
I joined the University of Bedfordshire on 1 September 2008 and became Assistant Director of the Tilda Goldberg Centre in March 2009.
Previously I was in social work and social care practice full time until 1998 and part time until 2006. In 2001 I started full time in social work education with lectureships at the Universities of Birmingham and Warwick before focusing on social work research full time.
I completed my social work qualification (and later my PhD) at the University of Hull in the early 1990s. The social work course provided specialist modules on working with substance use and, combined with my practice experience, led to a career long interest in teaching and research in the alcohol and drugs field, particularly in relation to social work education and social work practice. I have also developed a website for social workers wanting to know more about alcohol and drugs www.swalcdrugs.com.
My other main research interest is in the overlapping issues of substance use and domestic violence which stemmed largely from my work experience in London and New York with homeless women and women experiencing mental distress in the late 1980s. My practice experience taught me that many homeless women had histories of abuse and trauma both as children and adults and this was strongly linked to their subsequent experiences of substance use and mental ill health. I am still involved with a number of voluntary sector organisations that work with these overlapping issues.
I have also worked in the probation service, in residential and community drug and alcohol projects, with women fleeing violence, on street-based needle exchange programmes and with people with HIV/Aids. I remain a registered social worker.
I am currently the Chair of BASW Specialist Interest Group in Alcohol and Drugs, a Trustee of domestic violence charity, AVA, steering group member of the Stella Project and an advisory group member on a number of research projects being run by other universities and charities such as DrugScope.
I also sit on the editorial boards for Social Work Education and Practice: Social Work in Action.
Publications
Books
- Supporting People with Alcohol and Drug Problems. (2012) Bristol: Policy Press: Social Work in Practice series.
- The role of alcohol in violence against women. (2010) Lambert Academic Publishing.
Book chapters
- 'Working with people who use substances.' In: M. Davies (ed.) (2012) Social Work's Knowledge Base, (forthcoming) Routledge. With S. Wadd.
- 'Social Policy and Substance Use.' In: M. Davies (ed.) (2012) Social Work's Knowledge Base (forthcoming) Routledge. With A. Thurnham
- ‘Working together: responding to people with alcohol and drug problems.’ In: K. Morris (ed.) (2008) Social Work and Multi-Agency Working – Making a Difference. Bristol: Policy Press
- ‘Alcohol or drug problems’. In: M. Davies (ed.) (2007) The Blackwell Companion to Social Work. (3rd edition). Oxford: Blackwell Publishing
Peer reviewed articles
- 'Domestic abuse among women who misuse psychoactive substances: an overview for the clinician.' Addictive Disorders and their Treatment, 10 (2): 43-49, (2011). With S. George and S. Boulay.
- 'How well prepared are newly qualified social workers for working with substance use issues? Findings from a national survey.' Social Work Education, (2011) 30: 4, 422-439 with D. Forrester.
- 'Working with alcohol and drug use: exploring the knowledge and attitudes of social work students' British Journal of Social Work, (2010), 40, 946-962, with N. Hughes
- ‘Refusing to listen: are we failing the needs of people with alcohol and drug problems?’ Social Work Education 2007, 27 (7) 697-707
- ‘Safety in numbers? Tackling domestic abuse in couples and network therapies.’ Drug and Alcohol Review 2007, 26, 175-181*
- ‘Safety First? The impact of domestic abuse on women’s treatment experience.’ Journal of Substance Use, 2006, 11 (6), 395-408 *
- ‘Response. Problem drug users and assault.’ International Journal of Drug Policy, 2006, 17, 248-249
- ‘Alcohol and Domestic Violence: Women’s views’. Violence against Women. 2006, 12 (7), 641-662
- ‘SCARS: a new model for social work with substance users.’ Practice. (With Trevor McCarthy.) 2004. 16 (2), 85-97
- ‘Responsible disinhibition: Alcohol, men and violence to women.’ Addiction Research and Theory. 2004. 12 (4), 357-371 *
- 'The role of alcohol in violence against women: why should social work care?' Practice, 2001, 13 (2), 5-20
Professional journal articles
- 'Care or control? Part 2'. (with Grace, AA service user) Drink and Drug News, 15 March 2010
- 'Care or control? AA and domestic violence. Part 1'. (with Grace, AA service user) Drink and Drug News, 16 November 2009
- 'Grasping the nettle: alcohol and domestic violence'. Acquire. 2nd edition (2010)
- 'Living with domestic abuse and substance use.' Factsheet for the national charity ADFAM. (2010)
- ‘Safeguarding children: working with parental alcohol problems and domestic abuse.’ 2006. One briefing in a series for the Alcohol and Parenting Project, Alcohol Concern, London
- ‘Seeing the blindingly obvious: alcohol, drugs and domestic abuse.’ (with S. Raby) 2005, New Directions in the Study of Alcohol Group annual journal, 30, 63-73
- ‘Grasping the nettle: alcohol and domestic violence’. Acquire. Winter 2005. No. 42 Available on line at Alcohol Concern. www.alcoholconcern.org.uk
- ‘The role of alcohol in violence to women.’ Acquire, Spring 2003, No. 36
Research reports
- Galvani, S., Dance, C. and Hutchinson, A. (2011) Substance use and social work practice: findings from a national survey of social workers in England. Final report.
- Galvani, S. and Forrester, D. (2011) Integrated and Inter-professional Working: A Review of the Evidence, Report for the Welsh Assembly Government
- Templeton, L. and Galvani, S. (2011) Think Family Safely: Enhancing the Response of Alcohol Services to Domestic Abuse and Families. External Evaluation. Final report to Big Lottery Fund via Alcohol Concern.
- Galvani, S., Wadd, S. and Glynn, G. (2011) Evaluation of the CASA Family Service. Final Report to CASA Family Service.
- Galvani, S. and Forrester, D. with Glynn, G., McCann, M. Guppy, A., Helmsley, C., Hilson, M. and Thurnham, A. (2011) Social Work Services and Recovery from Substance Misuse: A Review of the Evidence. Edinburgh: Scottish Government. Full report and Summary of Findings.
- Galvani, S. (2011) Social Work Services and Recovery from Substance Misuse: A Review of the Evidence. Practitioner's Briefing. Edinburgh: ADSW/IRISS
- Galvani, S. (2010) Supporting families affected by substance use and domestic violence. Report for Comic Relief via Adfam.
- What works in training social workers about drug and alcohol use? A survey of student learning and readiness to practice. Final report for the Home Office. With D. Forrester. (2008). Available online in PDF at: www.beds.ac.uk
- Think Family: A Literature Review of Whole Family Approaches. London: Cabinet Office Morris, K., Hughes, N., Clarke, H., Tew, J., Mason, P., Galvani, S., Lewis, A., Loveless, L., Becker, S., and Burford, G. (2008). Interim Report for the Social Exclusion Unit, Cabinet Office (2007).
- ‘Access to justice for vulnerable groups: exploring issues of age, identity, health, and social conditions.’ Research report for the Department of Constitutional Affairs. Mason, P et al. (2007)
- ‘The impact of violence and abuse on engagement and retention rates for women in substance use treatment.’ (2005). Research Report to National Treatment Agency (with C. Humphreys, University of Warwick). Available online in PDF at: www.nta.nhs.uk
- ‘Looking Beyond Risk: Parental Substance Misuse: Scoping Study.’ (2006). Research report to Scottish Executive (with colleagues from University of Bath). Available online in PDF at: www.scotland.gov.uk
- 'Using cognitive behavioural techniques within a traditional medical model clinical setting: a case study.' The Behavioural Social Work Review, 1996, 17 (1), 7-21.
Curriculum Development materials and other training resources
- Substance Use - Curriculum Guide. Social Work Reform Board (2011)
- McCarthy, T. and Galvani, S. (2010) Alcohol and other Drugs - Essential Information for Social Workers. A BASW Pocket Guide. Luton: University of Bedfordshire
- Learning and teaching digest: integrating substance use teaching into the social work curriculum. SWAP (2009)
- Helpsheet: involving alcohol and other drug specialists in social work education. SWAP (2009)
- Information sheet: domestic violence and substance use in the social work curriculum. SWAP (2009).
- Information sheet: Key resources for teaching substance use. SWAP (2009).
- Case studies: teaching substance use in social work education. SWAP (2009).
- Social Work and substance use. teaching the basics. With D. Forrester SWAP (2009)
Contact details
Dr Sarah Galvani
Assistant Director, Tilda Goldberg Centre for Social Work and Social Care
Principal Research Fellow, Institute of Applied Social Research
E: sarah.galvani@beds.ac.uk
T: 07884 007222
